The French Impressionists

Mauclair, Camille, 1872-1945Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 188K words
Chapters: 19

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The French Impressionists (1860-1900) by Camille MauclairAuthor: Mauclair, Camille, 1872-1945,Language: English, Class: ND: Fine Arts: Painting, Release Date: Nov 15, 2004

Editor's review

This is a study of Impressionist painting by the French writer Camille Mauclair, whose English edition is included in Project Gutenberg. The book focuses on the development of French Impressionism between 1860 and 1900, surveying the movement from the perspective of art history and criticism. Mauclair moved in literary and artistic circles, and his account carries the immediacy of a contemporary critic rather than the textbook recital of later generations. Readers can see how Impressionism was understood and evaluated by the intellectuals of its time, and this "contemporary eye" is the book's core value, setting it apart from general art histories. The text is in English and of moderate length, making it suitable as supplementary reading for understanding the early reception history of Impressionism. It is best read alongside an album of paintings or high-resolution images, since the specific works discussed require visual reference for full appreciation. For readers studying nineteenth-century French art criticism, or wishing to approach Impressionism through primary critical documents, this book offers valuable primary material.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a basic knowledge of Western art history, especially Impressionism, who want to read contemporary criticism in greater depth
Scholars or students studying nineteenth-century French art criticism and the intersection of literature and art
Enthusiasts with English reading ability who are accustomed to reading public-domain art literature
Art readers who wish to supplement their album reading with a history-of-criticism perspective

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no art history background who need a systematic introductory textbook
Readers who struggle with English and prefer Chinese-language popular art books
Readers expecting a large number of high-resolution plates or reproductions of paintings

Reading tips

Begin by browsing the table of contents to grasp the book's structure, then read chapter by chapter; avoid treating a work of criticism as a general history to be plowed through from start to finish.
Keep an album of works by leading Impressionist painters at hand while reading, and consult it whenever a specific painting is mentioned.
Read alongside later art history works for cross-reference, taking care to distinguish contemporary criticism from later settled verdicts.
The English has many long sentences; close reading in sections is recommended, and it helps to jot brief notes on names and places before continuing.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English? How difficult is it to read?

This is the English edition included in Project Gutenberg, translated from the original French. The language belongs to late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century art criticism, with many long sentences and rhetorical flourishes, so it poses some difficulty for non-native readers; upper-intermediate to advanced English reading ability is advisable before attempting it.

Does the book contain illustrations or reproductions of paintings?

According to the Project Gutenberg entry, the book is primarily textual exposition and is not stated to include plates. It is best to have an Impressionist album on hand or use image resources to compare with the works discussed, otherwise some passages are hard to grasp visually.

Is this book suitable as an introduction to Impressionism?

Not really. It is the account of a contemporary critic, carrying the views and polemics of its time, rather than a systematic introductory textbook tracing the movement from beginning to end. It is better to read a general history of Impressionism first, then use this book to supplement the perspective of criticism history.

What is Mauclair's background, and are the views in the book reliable?

Camille Mauclair was a French writer and art critic who lived from 1872 to 1945 and was connected with the French literary and artistic world of the late nineteenth century. The book's value lies in presenting the observations and evaluations of a contemporary, but it carries personal positions and the limitations of its era; it should be read as critical documentation rather than settled fact.

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About the author

Mauclair, Camille, 1872-1945 Author

Camille Mauclair (1872–1945) was a French writer and art critic, though little is publicly available about his life and education. Four of his works are held in this catalog, spanning art history, war, and current affairs. He wrote a study of Auguste Rodin, Auguste Rodin: The Man - His Ideas - His Works, discussing the sculptor's life, ideas, and creations; The French Impressionists surveys the artistic aims of the French Impressionist painters; Eugène Delacroix examines the painter's work; and La guerre, whose title means "war," is evidently concerned with wartime themes. His writing is chiefly art criticism with some attention to current events, addressed to general readers and attentive to ideas and interpretation of works, and he had some influence in introducing French art to French- and English-speaking audiences.